The present invention relates generally to label forms, and, more specifically, to pharmaceutical label scripts.
Pharmaceutical label scripts are custom made for individual pharmacies for use in completing a typical pharmaceutical drug transaction. The typical pharmacy dispenses prescription drugs in high volume for a large number of individual customers in each business day. The individual pharmacy scripts are tailored for completing an individual prescription transaction, and include one or more pressure sensitive labels for placement on the prescription drug container, which may have any suitable form such as a small plastic bottle. The script typically also includes small warning labels which may also be placed on the bottle. And, the script also includes a receipt and use instructions pertaining to the specific pharmaceutical drug being dispensed.
The high volume usage in pharmaceutical sales requires efficiency and ease of use of the scripts. A typical script is in the form of a single sheet which may be conveniently fed into a printer, such as a laser printer, for printing thereon all required information for completing the pharmaceutical transaction. Since a laser printer includes a hot fusion roller, the script must be configured with suitable pressure sensitive adhesive that is not excessively heat-softened during its travel through the printer for preventing premature delamination of the labels inside the printer, or liberation of heat-softened adhesive from the script during printer travel which could jam or damage the printer.
The various script labels applied to the drug container typically use a permanent bonding, pressure sensitive adhesive to ensure a permanent bond of the labels to the container to prevent their inadvertent or intentional removal therefrom. Permanent labels ensure the correspondence between the actual prescription drugs found in the container with the description and identification thereof on the label.
However, when the drug container is empty of its contents the prescription label remains attached thereto. That label includes confidential or sensitive information regarding the drugs, which the customer may prefer to maintain confidential. However, it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to readily remove the drug label from the container once it has been adhesively bonded thereto. This creates a problem in discarding the empty container without the confidential information remaining thereon.
Accordingly, it is desired to provide an improved pharmaceutical label script which may be permanently adhered to a prescription drug container, yet permits easy removal of confidential information from the container.